The entire basketball world was divided when LeBron James announced his decision to go to South Beach and form a super team with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh . Miami Heat and James fans were elated.
However, some old heads disagreed with James ' move. In their argument, they revisited their careers, particularly how they dealt with their rivals. Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson claimed he would have never joined forces with Larry Bird because all he ever did was to think of ways to beat the Boston Celtics legend.
Magic vs Larry
"We didn't think about it 'cause that's not what we were about," Johnson said . "From college, I was trying to figure out how to beat Larry Bird."
The Bird-Johnson rivalry started in the 1979 NCAA championship game, where Magic's Michigan State Spartans beat Larry's Indiana State Sycamores. The duel continued in the professional ranks.
"It was never a question in our mind because nobody has ever done that," he added.
Magic and Larry were considered the best players in the 80s. They met in the NBA Finals three times, with Magic and the Lakers winning two chips at the Celtics' expense. It's difficult to imagine the two legends teaming up because their rivalry was so good.
Related: "I'm not scared of you anymore" - When Michael Jordan finally hit back after being bullied by a former UNC star in pickup games
Jordan's thoughts
Michael Jordan also reacted to the major news once he heard it . Unlike Magic's comments, MJ was a little bit more understanding. While he echoed Johnson, Mike acknowledged that the league has changed, and players nowadays have more options.
"There's no way I would have called up Larry and called up Magic and said, 'Hey, let's get together and play on one team.' But things are different; I can't say that's a bad thing; that's the opportunity kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys; I don't know if they would have been on my team," Jordan said.
Times are different as we see how star players use their leverage to gain what they want. The power doesn't completely reside with the team owner and franchise. Nowadays, players have more control over their careers and where they get traded.
While these types of power plays existed back in the day, players like Jordan and Magic had different mindsets. Fans also had little information on what goes on in the negotiations.
This is evolution. Not only do we see changes in tactics and strategy, but we also see how the game has developed from a powerplay standpoint. This is the beauty of the NBA.
Related: When MJ lashed out at Isiah Thomas for opposing a showdown with Magic: "If he were playing Magic, no one would want to see it"
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